Am I in Antarctica?

---

Brrrrrrrrr. It's so cold here in the UP. Can't hardly wait for Mexican weather! So this entry is about preparing to study abroad. It is a lot of work, believe it or not. I find myself filling out an endless amount of forms, applying to a plethora of fun things, waiting anxiously to see if I got enough aid/into the program/the visa, finding cheap airline tickets (I used travelocity by the way...good deals), prepping to move out of my apartment, getting my immunizations, attending orientations and fairs, picking the country that I want to study in. But all of this probably isn't the hardest part. With all this stuff, people can help you out. Susan Morgan, the study abroad coordinator and others in the IAO at NMU are very helpful, Jetlag, a student organization on campus was helpful with picking out programs & scholarships, and there's numerous sites online that help you out with this type of decision making.

One of the more difficult parts was recognizing how much of a transitional period that I'm actually living in. Almost every aspect of my life changes every few months. I haven't had a home since freshman year of college. Yes, I do have a permanent house near the Chicago area, but that is my parent's home, not my home. For me, and I may be generalizing, but for most traditional college students, we confide in certain people and they somehow become the closest thing to our homes. When you think of home, you think of certain people, because they make you feel at home; these people are the kind of people that give you a sense of comfort and leave your soul at ease. Without them, you feel a little lost. I'm lucky enough to have a few of these people in my life.

I've met some crazy cool people in this odd journey called life. It came to my attention today when I was talking to my friend Bre on AIM that I may never see some people that I have met in college ever again. People graduate and get on with their lives and continue their nomadic journey; it's odd to think about how different my school is going to be when I get back from Mexico. I mean NMU is going to stay the same physically; the snow will still fall in October, Lake Superior will still be colder then ever, the buildings will still look like they were built in the 1970's, the heart of northern will still be lop-sided and have clashing colors, and the massive dome will still remain one of the largest wooden domes in the world. But people will come and go, and it will be like starting fresh again. I won't even have the same job in the DSO anymore, which I really like. It's bittersweet to say goodbye to my mind-made concept of home.

My decision to study abroad has forced me to figure out some life goals. It has caused me to reconsider relationships with many different people. It has caused me to desire a home of my own. It has caused me to do a little soul searching. And ultimately, has caused me to grow and figure myself out. In order to love, to laugh, and to share your life with someone, I think it is necessary to to know who you truly are, and that is where I want to end up. I have a feeling that I'm on the right track. I'm looking forward to being in Mexico and learning about another part of the world and learning about myself at the same time.

Anyway, no more gushy emotional stuff! A little less then 40 days till Mexico! WoooooT!

---

Photos

Study abroad Orientation
One of the slides. Very useful information. If you're going abroad through NMU, pay attention. It's good info.

Jessie & I
Us at the study abroad orientation session. Jessie is going to Turkey. I'm going to Mexico.

Frozen tree.
Oh UP, I definitely won't miss this when I'm in Mexico.